As I said in this thread, I’m planning on starting at SUNY next Fall, via online learning.
Only problem is, I’m stuck on deciding between concentrations. I’ve narrowed it down between History and English, as I always had a slight aptitude and great love for those subjects in school. However, I can’t really determine what practical use I can put either degree to, especially since I don’t want to teach.
This is where you come in. History or English majors, how have you applied your degree in the workforce? Or have you? What career opportunities are there for either major?
And which is the better choice?
If all else fails, maybe McDonald’s provides fry baskets with book holders.
You can do anything you want, with either degree. You aren’t limited to working within your major these days. Many employers are only looking for a degree, any degree.
Pick the one you love the most, and enjoy it. Worry about the job market later on, you have your whole life to stress out.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other in that case. It is not like you are asking us to help you pick between accountiong and classics. Go with your interests and you gut alone.
I have a bachelors in History/Political Science and a Masters in English. I work in Computer Support.
The purpose of the degree is to teach you how to think. If you master that part of it, any degree has practical applications. And few employers ever cared about my degree, other than the fact I had one. They were interested in experience.
I had a roommate who majored in history because it was the quickest major and he could graduate in three years. He went on to law school.
My sister majored in English. She now works as a technical writer on a contract basis, which is pretty nice. There are websites out there listing jobs available. She picks the ones she likes that pay enough, and works from home as much as she wants.
For a while, I worked as an Admin at a law firm (which I hated), then temped for awhile.
Tomorrow, I officially start working as an Administrative Assistant II at a very well-known investment bank, where I get paid more than both my roommates, who have BAs in Communications and Psychology, respectively. It’s an awesome job, with great benefits, including full tuition reimbursement for business classes.
Because of it, I may decide to get a Masters in Business. While eventually I want to get into publishing, a business degree is not going to hurt me one bit!
Many jobs also look for English majors if it is a position that will require a lot of writing and/or editing. Also, a lot of English majors go on to get their masters’ in a variety of subjects, not excluding History .
I’ll second (or third, I’m not sure) those who have said you should major in what you really feel passionate about. And don’t forget, you CAN do a double major if you are willing to put the work in. Good luck!
I majored in English and my first job was as a reporter at a tiny, weekly newspaper. Fun job, but the pay was horrible. So much so that I left for a more lucrative job doing marketing/communications at a non-profit environmental organization.
I’ve stuck with marketing/communications (which includes writing and editing press releases, magazine articles, brochures, paper and online newsletters, etc.). After the non-profit, I worked at a huge investment bank. Much better pay, but I didn’t like the corporate culture or feel very strongly about my clients or the product. Now I’m at a community college, which I love.
Thanks, guys! Your personal anecdotes and such were just what I was looking for. I was pretty shocked to find out [from you guys and others] that it really doesn’t matter [to an extent] what you get your degree in, just that you have one.
And double thanks for the good luck wishes. I’m terribly excited, TBH.
As I understand it, if you learn Japanese, you can make some very respectable bucks teaching English in Japan. I believe I have read reports to that effect from people who’ve done it, but online only. Perhaps those who know the job market better can fill in here.
I was talking to an officer in my squadron the other day. He has a degree in history. Apparently, a history degree can do a lot for you. Not so much that you know a lot of history; but it shows that you have researching skills.
Businesses, I understand, are desperate for people who can read and write, so if you can demonstrate that ability, you’ll be OK. I’ve known English majors who would up in lots of different business-type jobs; writing documents or doing that sort of thing.
Now, me, I was a Comparative Literature major, and I became a librarian. There are a lot of different types of librarians–school, public, special, academic, and so on. I am a public librarian, so I get paid very little, have fun, but have to deal with the public in all its many forms (and smells). Academic librarians should generally have a second master’s degree in something else–they don’t care much what. Special librarians work for corporations or law libraries or various other things–a good deal. In addition, you should know that many librarians are about to retire, and it isn’t all that difficult to get into a good program and get a decent job. Library school IME has many eccentric people, but the actual working librarians are great. I don’t know how that works.
dangermom, you read my mind. Library work is indeed in the front of my mind as a career – it’s actually the overriding idea. Do you have a B.A. in lit and a M.A. [or M.S.?] in Lib Science?
Thanks, Tentacle Monster! S’good to know I won’t necessarily be relegated to the ranks of burger flipping.
Evil Captor, I’ve read about several people who do that, too. It’s worth thinking about, absolutely.
Yes, I went to library school and got an MLIS (master’s of library and information science) after I got the BA in comp.lit. Here is the library school I went to; it’s a very practical, hands-on program, while others are more academic. Since it’s also almost the only program in California, I didn’t have a lot of choice, but it was good to me.
My husband has a undergrad degree in philosophy and a JD. He isn’t using either officially, but he uses them evey day in a practical sense.
My brother has a BA in political science and a masters in strategic studies. He has used these fine degrees in his work as a scuba diving instructor, house painter, special operations soldier and his current gig in executive protection.
Even if you don’t know Japanese, you can teach English in Japan (although I don’t know if you make less money.) I have a friend who did this for several years after college. Basically, they just pair you with a Japanese teacher who can speak English, but who is of course not a native speaker.
My English degree helped me. All the way along people have said “so, we know you can write.” Mostly a good thing, since written communication is an important part of many jobs, many people can’t write a coherent sentence, and it’s a hard thing to discover in an interview. My (presumed) writing skill alone got me one serious, very good, job.
On the other hand, a History major might make you seem a bit more intellectual. All other things being equal, I’d probably pick a history or a philosophy major over an English major if I were an employer. They just seem more serious, and I also know that they can write.
On a side note, some people from non-English speaking countries who’ve asked about my major think it’s insane. Presumably I already know English, so why on Earth would I major in it? So if you’re planning on working abroad I’d go history.
Putting myself through college in a minimum wage job, I was talking to a customer who mentioned she had just graduate with her English degree. I asked her what she was doing now. She told me she was an insurance broker, and that everyone in her firm had a BA. Cut to three years later, I have my degree and I’m working in - sigh- insurance.
Good luck, and pick what you’re most interested in. The degree is only a fancy way of showing an employer that you can stick something out, unless you head off to grad school.
.